Given how many people smoke in Russia, smoking can, without a doubt, be called one of the main ills of Russian society. In recent years, the country's government has been conducting a systematic and systematic anti-tobacco campaign, sparing no money and information resources on it.
The number of smokers is steadily declining, but not as fast as we would like, because the state interests are opposed by tobacco companies lobbying their own interests. In annual statistical reports, you can find out how many people smoke in Russia. The numbers are still depressing.
How many smokers are there in the world?
Nicotine is a drug that quickly forms a very strong addiction in a person. But it belongs to light narcotic substances, because it has a barely noticeable psychoactive effect, does not change the mind of a person and does not push him to antisocial behavior, like alcohol or hard drugs. This seeming harmlessness, coupled with rapid addiction, allows tobacco to win more and more new fans.
Before estimating how many people smoke in Russia, it is betterget acquainted with world statistics. There are about 1.3 billion smokers in the world today. Approximately every sixth earthling is in captivity of addiction. More than 5 million people die every year from smoking-related diseases, that is, one every 6 seconds.
How many people smoke in Russia: statistics
Even with the decrease in the number of smokers, the Russian Federation ranks high in the ratings of the most smoking countries. However, positive trends allow us to hope that in the future Russia will only go down in such ratings. Statistics clearly show what percentage of people smoke in Russia and how this percentage changes over the years.
If in 2009 39% of Russians were consumers of tobacco products, in 2017 they were 29%. For 8 years, a 10% reduction in the percentage of smokers is an excellent result. However, the country is very far from the victory over addiction. 45% of Russian men and 15% of women continue to smoke. Tobacco annually claims about half a million lives of Russians. The percentage of teenagers who smoke is frighteningly high. They easily succumb to temptation, the influence of friends, rebellious moods and the desire to appear older and cooler. According to some data, 33% of Russian teenagers smoke periodically.
Scary facts
Tobacco manufacturers create an attractive image for smoking, usually silent about the harm that it causes to the human body. Tobacco propaganda takes advantage of people's poor awareness. New smokers tend to be reckless and confident that they will quit at any moment, they willingly start smoking and quickly become addicted.
How many smokers there are in Russia, there are so many dependent people who find it very easy to sell cigarettes even at high prices. After all, often they themselves protect their own irresistible cravings and find compelling reasons not to give up a bad habit. And information about the mortal danger of smoking is easily accessible and well known. Here are just a few:
- Together with tobacco smoke, a person inhales about three thousand chemicals, many of which contribute to the development of a variety of cancerous tumors. But cancer is just one of many diseases caused by habitual smoking.
- The average smoker takes 200 puffs a day, 6,000 a month, 72,000 a year, and a 30-year-old smoker had more than 2,000,000 puffs of poisonous smoke in his lungs.
- 60% of Russian tobacco users want to get rid of their addiction, but often complain that they lack willpower. Many quit only when they fall ill with a dangerous disease, the prospect of imminent death is stronger than the craving for nicotine. Almost all those who have overcome tobacco addiction say that it was much easier to do than it seemed.
- Given how many people smoke in Russia now, experts estimate that smoking could kill up to 5 million Russians in the next decade.
Pleasing trends
Reducing the number of Russians smoking has becomethe result of a well-thought-out and large-scale anti-tobacco government program that began in 2013 and includes a number of comprehensive measures:
- Tobacco products are sold only in stores and only to people over the age of 18. Moreover, cigarettes should not be in front of the buyer. For non-compliance with these rules, sellers are punished with hefty fines.
- No tobacco advertising in the media, even disguised as a sponsorship or discount, is prohibited. Smoking scenes are cut from films.
- Following the increase in excise duties on tobacco, selling prices for cigarettes soared. They have become less available, which is especially important in the fight against teenage smoking.
- Smoking is prohibited in various public places: shops, cafes, restaurants, playgrounds, beaches, entrances, elevators, etc.
- Frightening inscriptions and pictures of diseases that are the result of addiction are applied to tobacco products.
- A large-scale promotion of a he althy and active lifestyle is underway.
Cigarette sales
Statistics of the annual sale of cigarettes in the country - the most visual way to assess the achievements of the anti-tobacco campaign and how many people smoke in Russia now compared to the recent past. The figures are encouraging: in 2010, 383 billion cigarettes were sold in the Russian Federation per year, in 2013 - 371 billion, in 2017 - 263 billion. Cigarette sales are expected to drop to 227 billion by 2021.
Producer resistance
Tobacco concerns are not going togive up, because this business operates with trillions in turnover and billions in income. Although, due to the increase in prices for cigarettes in Russia, the profits of companies have even increased, but every person who quits smoking becomes a lost profit for them. Therefore, they continue to cultivate such myths and interpretations that are convenient for them:
- The tobacco industry fills the budget and creates thousands of jobs, which means it is good for the state.
- Anti-tobacco measures are ineffective and a waste of public money.
- Prohibitions violate the rights of smokers.
- Harm from passive smoking is an unproven fiction.
- High excises will cause smuggled goods to flood the country.
- Tobacco companies are actively involved in the fight against teen smoking.
- Quitting smoking is very, very difficult, besides quitting nicotine will cause obesity and depression.
